PFS PbP - Thornkeep - The Dark Menagerie (lvl 5-7) (Inactive)

Game Master Revvy Bitterleaf

Anyone want to do anything?

Grimdoc will search the room and objects for anything hidden.

"Ought to be something useful in here."

Perc : 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31

Snow Adder joins Grim, also keeping his bow ready in case of trouble.
Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (18) + 16 = 34

Calistan will heal his minor wounds with his wand before moving on to see explore the (last?) floor of Thornkeep. His hand runs across the stone.

Oh, how I will miss thee...

Suddenly, he finds himself moving down the hallway to the southeast in his nostalgia.

Logain warns the others not to enter the room carelessly (hopefully before they enter).
"There are strong magic auras exuding from the room and the paintings. It would not surprise me that entering it heedlessly would summon forth creatures from those paintings. Look for traps before going in."

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Marcel will aid Snow Adder in the search.

"Hopefully if there are traps, they are mundane, I am useless against magical traps." Marcel comments.

Unless I eat a boon, that I am not sure I can activate in the middle of a scenario. As I have an unused PaizoCon 2014 GM Boon lying around and it could give Marcel the ability to disarm magical traps

@Calistan, there's no entrance from the room you passed through to the corridor you place yourself (it's just there on the map so it can fit on 1 flip-map. It's not physically connected. I've placed you back -> in the room you can enter through the doorway.There are 2 more doors leading out of that room, but none lead to the south part

Grimdoc doesn't see anything from the doorway Unless you meant to walk into the room and look around there..in which case you don't see anything within your first few steps..and then other stuff happens

The platform is 5ft high, so it's takes an extra square to get on top of it

1d8 ⇒ 8

As soon as (Grimdoc,?) Callistan and Snow Adder enter the room a tear forms in one of the paintings on the west side of the room

And this is actually a coincidence as it's random what comes out, but it does save me from having to find a picture of it

and a giant which looks like a thick, muscular human steps out of the painting. It has frost-white skin and long, light blue hair that it wears braided and is wielding a large axe. He looks furious and roars as he gets a good grip on his axe and it seems like he wants to use it to hit stuff.

It's not a trap btw

Init Samuel: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Init Grimdoc: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Init Marcel: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Init Snowadder: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 11 + 2 = 32
Init Calistan: 1d20 - 5 ⇒ (12) - 5 = 7
Init Logain: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Init Giant: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (15) - 1 = 14

init
Samuel, Grimdoc, Snow Adder
Enemy
party

I never get to go first. :( ;)

"Well, this should be an easy target. Maybe not so easy to bring down." Snow Adder retreats from the giant and upon reaching the corner of the room, looses a thistle arrow toward the giant.
Going to gamble that he doesn't have Combat Reflexes and won't be able to take AoOs while flat-footed.
Acrobatics (in case he does have Combat Reflexes): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30
Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 or Damage: 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (4, 5) + 5 = 14 if you determine that gravity bow is still active
Plus 1 hp bleed per round for 1d6 ⇒ 1 rounds

Grimdoc steps back to the southeast to get a good swing.

"Drop him quick guys. He looks like he packs a wallop...and ain't too happy to see us. ."

+1 Lucern Hammer, PA/FF, bane: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 9 + 2 = 28
for dmg, PA: 1d12 + 7 + 6 + 2 + 2d6 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 6 + 2 + (5, 5) = 37

@Snow Adder; it has half a dozen feats..but no combat reflexes. with the investigation of (the scrolls in) the previous room the gravity bow has worn of by now

Before the giant can react Snow Adder decides to move away and shoots an arrow into his leg

Grimdoc swings his hammer and drives the arrow stuck in the giant's right thigh even further in, making the giant howl in pain

init
Samuel
Enemy
party

Damage Frost giant: 44

Samuel dashes up the stairs, pulling his sword from his sheath. Positioning himself between Grimdoc and the table, the Andoran swings cautiously with his blade.

"The bigger they are..."

Can someone move Samuel between Grimdoc and the table. Because he is fighting defensively and his Active Defense ability, Samuel gets +3 AC this round and also grants Grimdoc +1 AC.

+1 ghost touch long sword : 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 281d8 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Possible crit

+1 ghost touch long sword : 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 201d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

-Posted with Wayfinder

Samuel dashes up the stairs, pulling his sword from his sheath. Positioning himself between Grimdoc and the table, the Andoran swings cautiously with his blade, his blade cutting deep into the giant's flesh..but not as deep as it could have doesn't confirm againt flatfooted AC

The giant swings his axe at Samuel as a bit of blood flows down his leg before the hole which contains Snow Adders arrow stops bleeding

To hit Samuel AC: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (17) + 18 = 35
To hit Samuel AC: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

If your total bonus this round is +3, that means your current AC is 30 right? so both hit?

and the axe comes crashing down on Samuels left shouder and then quickly goes up and crashes down again into Samuels left side

Damage Samuel: 3d6 + 13 ⇒ (2, 3, 5) + 13 = 23
Damage Samuel: 3d6 + 13 ⇒ (2, 1, 6) + 13 = 22

init
Callistan, Marcel, Logain
End/Beginning of round - stuff
Snow Adder, Marcel, Grimdoc
Enemies

Damage Frost giant: 51

Updated Grimdoc's position now that I am on my PC. He is using a reach weapon, so not adjacent. AC vs Giant is 28(29 with Samuel).

23 damage to Samuel; 22 damage to Calistan from his Shield Other.

Calistan feels the pain of the club and holds his shield up high, letting a surge of raw holy energy permeate the room. Everyone feels better as the healing washes over them.

Channel Energy: 5d6 + 1 ⇒ (4, 2, 3, 3, 6) + 1 = 19 +1 from Blessed Touch for everyone; +10 to Calistan for Fey Foundling.

Samuel's wounds are mostly healed as Calistan's affinity for healing magic lets his wounds heal fully.

Everyone now gets "the ability to roll twice and take the better result on a single attack roll, skill check, or saving throw of their choice within a number of rounds equal to your Cha bonus (6 rounds)."

Samuel is at 4 damage.

My AC was 29, so definitely hit.

I seem to have disappeared off the initiative track.

Nice healing/shield other Cal. Looks like you're definitely gonna be needed/appreciated here.

-Posted with Wayfinder

It's what he does!

Not sure if I elicit an aoo due to coming around from the doorway which gives me cover I hope. ac is higher now due to shield

Logain casts one of his spells and hovers closer with his scimitar at the ready. As soon as he reaches the giant he slashes at him with his scimitar which now cackles with electricity and burns with fire at the same time.using arcane point to make it flaming burst

attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
confirm: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24
dmg base, flaming, shocking grasp: 1d6 + 5 + 1d6 + 5d6 ⇒ (2) + 5 + (6) + (2, 4, 1, 2, 3) = 25
confirmed dmg base, flaming burst, shocking grasp: 1d6 + 5 + 1d10 + 5d6 ⇒ (6) + 5 + (3) + (4, 3, 3, 5, 5) = 34
"Ha HA! Have at it frosty!"

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
"There is something else nearby, laughing at us. Perhaps an invisible creature in the room."Logain says.

Moving into the room, with his Aldori dueling sword in hand, Marcel will move past the creature before attacking it.

+1 Broken Aldori: 1d20 + 14 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 14 - 2 = 261d8 + 6 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 7 - 2 = 18

@Samuel, sorry something happened when I copied&pasted. You are the second Marcel. I'll fix it in the next post

Logain casts a spell and walks into the room while the giant decides to not take a swing at him

As far as I read it, because the giant is large we use the rules for ranged attacks to determine cover and then things get wonky because of the door being in the middle of 2 squares..so easier if he just ignores it this time. He either can't take it..or he chooses not to

Logain's crackling and burning sword hurts the giant, the fire seeing to do even more damage then you'd expect a flame to do to flesh

As Marcel moves into the room the giant clearly sees a target
AOO vs Marcel: 1d20 + 18 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 18 + 1 = 34
Marcel tries to block the axe swing with his own sword but the force being the giant axe is too much for him to deflect
Damage Marcel: 3d6 + 13 ⇒ (2, 2, 3) + 13 = 20

Another painting this one having a picture of an
1d8 ⇒ 1
troll starts to tear apart as if sliced open by a knife and a large light blue-green skin troll with cold, piercing eyes. steps on to the platform. Dressed in rough furs, its tusked jaw juts forth in a long underbite. He is also wielding an axe

Just noticed I forgot to list a DC for the sound-based perception check, so repeating it now:

Damage frost giant: 129

init
Snow Adder, Samuel, Grimdoc
Enemies
Calistan, Marcel, Logain
End/start of round - stuff

"Something or someone invisible is slicing open the paintings and summoning the monster. Quickly, kill whoever is running around invisible!" Logain shouts.

"I can cast a spell to see invisibility ."

With the troll adjacent, he will activate his judgement of defense and casts see invisibility.

Concentration : 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21 dc 15+4

ac is 32 vs giant/troll.

Grim looks around the room and will 5' closer to and call out the location of any unseen foes.

Knowing it will probably take a moment for the troll to react, Snow Adder listens intently to Grim's directions about the location of the invisible foe and fires off three cold iron arrows where it is supposed to be.
Attack 1: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25
To hit invisible, high hits: 1d100 ⇒ 56
Damage 1: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 Magic, cold iron
Attack 2: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
To hit invisible, high hits: 1d100 ⇒ 46
Damage 2: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 Magic, cold iron
Attack 3: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
To hit invisible, high hits: 1d100 ⇒ 95
Damage 3: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 Magic, cold iron

As Grimdoc indicates where he should hit Snow Adder fires a series of arrows into that square, two of those bounces of something in mid air before falling down to the floor as if stuck in something while the other shatters against the wall.

init
Samuel
Enemies
Calistan, Marcel, Logain
End/start of round - stuff
Snow Adder, Samuel, Grimdoc

Damage frost giant: 129

Focused on the giant foe, Samuel swings a quickly as he can, maintaining his defensive posture and bolstered by the close quarter combat.

Same AC buffs as last time, plus an addition +1 for two allies adjacent, so AC 30 and +1 to Grimdocs.

+1 ghost touch longsword: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 181d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

+1 ghost touch longsword: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 111d8 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Sadly my 'to hit' rolls are letting me down abit.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Samuel focuses on the giant in front of him, but his aim is still off and with 2 swings of his longsword he can't get past the armor the giant is wearing.

In return the giant focuses his attention back on Samuel to return the favor

to hit AC Samuel: 1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 18 + 2 = 29
to hit AC Samuel: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 13 + 2 = 19

but he only manages to copy Samuel's action as he also swings twice and misses

The troll decides to join in and having seeing Snow Adder fire arrows in his direction (he doesn't know Snow Adder was firing somewhere behind him) he swings his axe at Snow Adders head and then continues with a follow-up claw as well as bending forward to try to bite

to hit AC Snow Adder axe: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 7 + 1 = 25
to hit AC Snow Adder claw: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 2 + 1 = 12
to hit AC Snow Adder bite: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 1 = 9

but having to bend forward makes his balance a bit off and only his axe bites deep into Snow Adders flesh

Damage Snow Adder: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (1, 6) + 4 = 11

init
Party
Enemies

Snow Adder and Marcel both feel minor wounds being healed by Calistan's protective magicks, but the oracle has given up on this tactic.

He leaps back to the stairs, weaves fire through the air and summons an orb of molten lava that rolls across the ground, scorching the rock and spare parchment that was fluttering around the room.

It wheels toward the ice troll, trying to slam into the wintry giant.

Defensive Casting: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

Flaming Sphere; Reflex DC 22 to negate damage

Fire Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 4) = 14

He draws an AoO from the Ice Troll for movement.

"What is it Grimdoc? Can you take it out or do you need some magical assistance? I can make it visible for everyone to see if need be. Otherwise I will focus on these big ones." Logain asks tensly.

Grimdoc will step 5' south and swing at the invisible creature.
"Yo Logain, not sure what it is but it is over here! How are you all doing on that giant? He seems more the threat than this troll."

+1 Lucern Hammer, PA/FF: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
for dmg, PA: 1d12 + 7 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 6 = 25

judgement still defense- ac32 vs troll or giant .

I forgot to remove the defensive casting before posting. I have cover from the troll so I don't provoke for that.

-Posted with Wayfinder

+1 Broken Aldori: 1d20 + 14 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 14 - 2 = 171d8 + 6 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 7 - 2 = 16
Iterative: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 9 - 2 = 201d8 + 6 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 7 - 2 = 16
Marcel swings his sword twice again at the giant.

spellcraft to see what he can do against those paintings: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

"It shouldn't take much longer now, he looks quite wounded..." Logain says and to accentuate it he strikes at the frost giant once more with his burning sword.
attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 211d6 + 5 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 5 + (6) = 14

As Calistan moves away the troll takes a swing after him with his axe

To hit AC Calistan: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 1 = 12

but the troll misses

Reflex save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Calistan then summons a ball of fire that rolls over the trolls feet and the stench of burning flesh fills the air

Grimdoc walks around the platform and sees a small winged creature with a stinger on it's tail on the floor, he then squashes it flat with a mighty swing of his hammer.
Grimdoc also notices the smashed frame of another painting lying on the floor.

Marcel swings his broken sword twice at the giant, but both attacks fail to get through the giants armor..most likely due to the blades edge being dulled.

Logain has no idea what to do about the paintings, but thinks that slashing them might not be the best idea.

Logain then swings his sword at the frost giant once more and manages to stab the tip of his sword into an important part of the giants anatomy from below causing the giant to fall down and stop moving.

init
Samuel, Snow Adder
Troll
Party

Damage troll: 14

Glad to see the giant felled, Samuel spins on his heel and steps in against the troll creature, maintaining his defensive attacks.

+1 ghost touch longsword: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 91d8 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

+1 ghost touch longsword: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 141d8 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Urgh, these rolls...

AC 30, +1 AC to Grimdoc

-Posted with Wayfinder

Samuel swing his sword again twice, but his sword misses on both attacks

NPC-ing Snow Adder in since it's been a day

Suffering from a minor head wound Snow Adder is conflicted on what to do and not wanting to risk getting hit again goes fully on the defensive

The troll turns his attention on Samuel

To hit AC Samuel axe: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
To hit AC Samuel bite: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
To hit AC Samuel claw: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

but Samuels armor proofs too difficult to get through

init
Party
Troll

Damage troll: 14

Grimdoc steps back and swings at the troll.

"Two down, one to go."

+1 Lucern Hammer, PA/FF: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
for dmg, PA: 1d12 + 7 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 6 = 25

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15
+1 Broken Aldori: 1d20 + 14 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 14 - 2 = 181d8 + 6 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 7 - 2 = 14

Moving to the side of the large troll, Marcel doesn't move as gracefully as he had planned Failed acrobatics, take an AoO if he has one available. still though as he gets close enough he swings his broken blade at the creature.

Grimdoc swings at the troll and hits him the side of it's knee with his hammer, almost collapsing the troll to the ground..but then it stands up straight again

Marcel tries to tumble to confuse the troll, but just ends up stepping right in front of the trolls axe

AOO vs Marcel AC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

but the odd movement is enough to throw off the trolls aim and his axe sails right past Marcel who then lets his sword sink into the flesh of the trolls other leg cutting it clear off, the troll drops to the floor and bleeds out

Out of combat

As you stand there catching your breath the corpses of the frost giant and ice troll slowly dissolve into some sort of ecto plasma and disappear leaving nothing of value behind

Calistan winks the ball of fire out of existence and glowers at Samuel. He grabs his morningstar and swings it around at the table. It looks like it is going to miss the nice mahogany desk as the head of the mace is past the writing surface.

At the last second, in a flash of grey light, his morningstar slams into the desk, leaving behind half a dozen holes where the spikes hit. The slight, pale gray aura around Calistan fades when this happens. A few seconds later, the pale gray aura around the rest of the party fails.

He sighs as he heals the rest of the party back to full and the gray aura returns on everyone for a full 30 seconds, healing everyone's wounds in the process.

Channel Energy: 5d6 + 1 ⇒ (2, 6, 5, 1, 5) + 1 = 20

Everyone now gets "the ability to roll twice and take the better result on a single attack roll, skill check, or saving throw of their choice within a number of rounds equal to your Cha bonus (6 rounds)."

Everyone should be at full health.

"Well fought everyone. That could have gotten nasty."

-Posted with Wayfinder

"Yes, good thing Grim was able to spot that creature. This room might have been flooded with monsters without that. Let's see what else we have here." Snow Adder helps to search the room.
Unless anyone has buffs they want to keep up, take 20 for 36. If you'd rather keep it quick, Snow Adder will just search the door...
Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (20) + 16 = 36

Nothing is to be found in this room (other then the smashed painting in a corner, a few slashed and now blank paintings hanging on the walls and a loooot more hanging paintings, the squashed pulpy remains of the creature Grimdoc smashed into a paste and 2 doors)

Snow Adder has a look at each door.
Perception (north door): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (13) + 16 = 29
Perception (east door): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19

Grimdoc will look around at the paintings to see if any are distinct.

"Seems like this little critter knew the paintings would free the monsters.
Are there any other paintings here that look like people...maybe ones we want to find?
Perhaps the paintings somehow trapped the monsters? I dunno. Still think we are missing something in here."

kn:dungeon: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
kn:local: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Taking advantage of the gray glow offered by Calistan...while it lasts
kn:local: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
kn:religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Grimdoc still has see invisible active and moves to the eastern door.

"Everyone ready for me to open this?"

Snow Adders doesn't spot a trap on either door

Grimdoc looks over the many paintings and doesn't spot any that look like people just demons, devils, trolls, giants, etc.

Assuming everyone is ready

Grimdoc opens the doors to the east to reveal;
Belled glass jars clutter every available surface in this roomy bedchamber. These jars contain miniaturized creatures pinned by needles to cushions, like a twisted insect collection.

Snow adder wryly comments, "You don't suppose these will spring to life like the paintings if someone breaks them do you?" He takes a little closer look.
Knowledge (nature): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24 "Actually, some of these might be worth something. Several of these cases are creatures that have been extinct for quite some time."

What do you want to do now?

Calistan sees a door and burst through it to his north!

Sure, north works for me.

Calistan bursts through the door and ends up in a bathroom, there's a nice large Jacuzzi in the center which when examined radiates conjuration magic.

There's a door leading to the east out of this room.